Improvement in water-elevators



" UNITED STATES 1 PATENT OFFICE.

` IMPROVEMENT IN WATER-ELEVATORS. 4

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 35,386, dated May 27, 1862.

To all whom/it may conceraf Be it known that I, HIRAM NAsII, of Lockport, in the county of Niagara and State of angles to the windlass and showing the bucket raised and dischargingits water; Fig. 2, a plan of theworking parts of the device detached .from the curb; Fig. 3, a modification of the crossbar. t

Like letters designate corresponding parts y in all the figures.

The curb A, fitting `over the mouth of the well, may be of any ordinary or desirable construction, and its size is usually such as only to admit the bucket to -Work easily and prop-k erly therein. To shield the working parts from the weather, it is generally provided with a cover or roof, B, which, for convenience, may

, be removable. Itis also provided with a'spout,

0at asuitable position to eorrespondwith the bucket when raised. In this curb is mounted a windlass having a Winch, E, and ratchet-wheel Fat one end, and ahead or disk, lI, at the other. Into the ratchet-wheel catches a pawl, G, as usual. The central portion of the windlass, of suitable length for the purpose designed, is madeenlarged, as represented'at H, leaving on eachside thereof` portions KK,

respectively, of smaller diameter, on which wind the opposite ends of a cord or chain, L.

The central portion of the windlass, instead of being made enlarged and of equal diameter its entire length, might have merely circular heads of large diameter at each extremity or boundary thereof, leaving the intermediate space of less diameter; but where a wooden windlass is used the former construction is cheaper and answers the same purpose. Horizontally through this enlarged portion or through its equiyalent heads is made a hole or passage, b, through which extends the cord or chain L, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. The central portion of the cord or chain occupies this passage, and to its equal ends are respectivel secured b Tmeans of e es a a or otherwise, the ends of a cross-bar, M, of a length such that its ends reach aboutmidwayoftheportions K K of the windlass on which the ends of the rope orchain wind. The under orinnersurface, c, of this cross-bar is generally made a little concave or beveled to conform to the surface of the central portion, H, of the windlass,on which it strikes. The bucket N is connected with the crossvbar by means of rigid connections or bail-rods d d, having loops or hooks ff secured and turning, respectively, in the eyes a a of the cross-bar,or in some equiva:` lent manner, sufiiciently far forward to be subject to someleverage when the cross bar strikes the windlass, as represented. The bucket being thus secured p to the opposite ends of the cross-bar, it is desirable and necessary, for the proper Working of all the parts, that the said cross-bar shall always keep in a horizontal line, so that the bucket shall be raised in a vertical position. Where cords winding on the opposite ends of a windlass are used, one or the other is liable to become stretched or expanded more than its fellow, so as to draw the bucket up unequally, and in ordinary arrangements there is no provision made for any adjustment to remedy the difficulty. In such arrangements, also, there is nothing to guide the cords in coiling around the windlass, and they wind unequally, thus increasing the liabilityv of tipping the bucket on one side.

In my device, by using but a single cord or chain and having it pass through the central portion, H, of the Windlass, if one end thereof becomes unduly stretched or expanded, the diiculty is quickly and easily remedied by ad- `justing'the cord one way or the other through its passage in the windlass and then securing it by suitable means -from slipping. The ends of the cross-bar, by reaching midway of the Winding-surface for the cord or chain, serves as guides for winding the ends equally and truly on their portions of the windlass. In addition to the necessity of keepingthe cross, bar in a horizontal position, for the purpose of properly raising the bucket, it is absolutely necessary for th rowing the bucket forward to the spout andfor operating the valve, as will be presently described.

The bucket N is substantially of the shape represented, and has in its bottom a port, g,

Fig. 1, of suicient size to allow the water ingress and egress through it and covered by a suitable valve, P. This port opens into'a conducting spout or passage, O, situated at the bottom ofthe bucket and inelining downward as it extends outward to the periphery of the bucket, as shown most clearly in Fig. 1. This conduetingspout is of suflicient size to allow the water to flow freely from the bucket when thc valve is opened.

Vhcn the bucket is being drawn up from the well, it is sustained in a vertical position by the horizontal cross-bar M, with which it is connected, and the ends of the cord or chain, being attached directly to the said cross-bar, allow the same to adapt itself to a suitable po' sition in regard to the bucket, so that the latter shall be drawn up nearly in the aXis of the well; but when the under or inner surface, c, ot' the cross-bar strikes the surface of the central portion, H, of the windlass, and thereby turns with it, the ends a a of the cross-bar, to which the bail-rods of the bucket are jointed, are thrown outward, as represented, thereby likewise throwing the bucket outward against the side of the curb. Vhen thus situated, the conducting spout of the bucket comes opposite to and in proximity with the opening of the spout C of the curb, and the water is discharged through it into the outer pail or vessel. By the use of this arrangement for throwing the bucket outward to connect with the curbspout several advantages are gained. The cross bar, being always retained in a horizontal position, as before described, brings the bucket up vertically to the proper position for its conducting-spout to correspond with the spout C, and when thus elevated it is thrown outward without any disarrangement or any liability of the buckets being turned out of place. The bucket is connected directly to the cross-bar and the ends ofthe ro'pe or chain, so that when wound up, with the cross-bar resting against the windlass, it has a rigidity or stiffness that prevents Iany vibration. Connected in this manner with the cord or chain the necessity of operating parts on the top of the bucket, as in other devices of this nature, is avoided, and thus not only is a better effect produced, but the arrangement is much simpler and cheaper. The bucket also, instead of being inclined backward when raised, rests nearly on a level, or is thrown a little forward, so that the bucket will be entirely emptied; and in throwing the bucket outward when raised no eXtra power is required on the windlass.

The cross-bar M has centrally a rightangled arm, Q, having usually about the same plane in projection as the upper surface of the cross-bar and of suitable length for the purpose intended. A bearing, 7i, is formed at the extremity of this arm by making a slot, i, therein, as represented, or in some equivalent manner; and over this bearing fits the loop 7c of a connecting-rod, R, Fig. 1, extending downward and jointed to the valve P at Z, by which means said valve is operated.

The connecting-rod is of such length that when the bucket is raised to its greatest height, as represented in the drawings, the leverage of the arm Q is just sufficient to raise the valve high enough to allow the water to escape read ily from the bucket; and the loop la is of such length that when the bucket is lowered to the bottom of the well,with the arm Q in a vertical position, and with the valve raised for the water to run into the bucket through its bottom, its lower end shall not interfere with the bearing h of the said arm. Thus not only is the bucket brought into the proper position for discharging its water by means ofthe central portion, H, of the windlass and the crossbar M, but also by the use of the arm Q, in connection with said cross-bar, and of a connectingrod between said arm and the valve, I am enabled to operate the latter at the proper time.

By the use of a stiff connecting-rod, R, having a loop at its upper end, as described, in connection with the valve and the arm Q, the valve is not only raised at the proper time to allow the water to escape from the bucket, but also, when the bucket is lowered in the well, the loop, by sliding on its bearing h, allows the valve to rise without impediment to dll the bucket. This is a great advantage, as it is necessary that the bucket shall be filled at its bottom. A chain-connection between the valve and the arm would be inoperative by becoming kinked and twisted.

The valve P is usually made of leather or other flexible material, and may be stiffened over the port by a metallic disk, a. By long use in water the leather, where it forms the hinge of the valve, loses its elasticity and is easily bent or turned overback or to one side, and its action is wabbling and irregular. To remedy these difculties,I use a metallic plate, S, of suitable size, riveted over and through the leather in the rear of the hinge, as represented most clearly in Fig. 1, the forward edge of the plate being bent up, forming a lip, m, projecting a little distance over the valve at such a height as will allow the valve to rise sutcently, but not such as will allow it to rise too high. By being riveted on top of the leather the plate prevents any wabbling or side motion of the valve, and thus it is under perfect control.

Instead of using the erossbar,constructed as above described, it may be modified so far as bymaking it hollow lengthwise, as represented in Fig. 3, and having the ends of the cord or chain L attached to a chain, T, or its equiva lent instead of to the'eyes aa, by which means the cross-bar may be adjusted somewhat on the chain; but such a device is not so desirable for general use as that already described.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The windlass having an enlarged central portion, H, or its equivalent,with smaller portions, K K, on each side thereof for the ends of the cord or chain to wind on when the same asgese s.

charge its Water, substantially as herein set forth.

3. In combination with the enlarged portion H of the windlass or its equivalent, the cross-bar M, provided with an arm', Q, the connecting-rod R, and Valve P,whereby the said valve is opened at the proper time to discharge the water from the bucket, substantially as herein specified.

4. Providing the upper end ofthe connecting-rod R, connecting the valve P w'ith the arm Q,With an elongated loop, k, passing over a bearing, la, in the end of the arm, whereby not onlyis the valve raised at the proper time in discharging the water, `but also, when the bucket is lowered in the well, the valve is allowed to open freely to admit the ingress of the water, the whole arranged and operating substantially in the manner and for the purpose specified.

In witness whereof I-have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HIRAM NASH. 

